You can find 5 YouTube videos on replacing your chassis battery, but they all leave out some super important details. I like to go all the way down the rabbit hole with everything, so I’ll share my experience.
First, only do this if you have the older chassis like mine!
My understanding is that newer, like most German vehicles, have “adaptive charging” which gradually raises the voltage as the AGM battery ages. I found this out the hard way when I replaced my wife’s 2017 Mini Cooper battery.
Worked great, and then fried in 12 months. Thats because you have to go to the dealer and have them recalibrate the battery computer setting. Otherwise the higher voltage quickly ruins your new battery.
Anyway the 2018 does NOT have this feature. So battery replacement is a simple drop in experience.
All of the YouTube videos I watched used an aftermarket battery. That’s fine, an Interstate equivalent can be found at Costco for $180. But the OEM battery is more than just OK – mine is going on 8 years old and still going strong. I am just replacing it proactively. The OEM battery is a piece of art.
I couldn’t find it online – only a Bosch S6588B which appears to be the same battery – but its a whopping $400 plus shipping, and not available locally. Then I called the local Mercedes parts department – which I assumed would be similar – and – surprise – a genuine OEM battery was only $260.
Is this battery really any better than the Interstate at Costco? Only time will tell. The warranty is worse – only 2 years – but when I am 100 miles from the nearest auto garage in the middle of nowhere, I’d like to know I bought the very best, and I think this battery is, if its anything like the one that came installed in 2018.
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